It's not as if I had always set out to become a keen hiker, but now I can’t envision life without my weekly walks. Hiking has been transformative for me physically and mentally, but that should be no surprise given the two are intertwined. When you feel better emotionally, you make healthier decisions, which is why I find myself 14 pounds lighter than at the start of the year.
Weight loss is a welcome result, but it's just one of the many benefits of hiking and not the reason I took up the activity. Although I have been sporadically hiking for almost five years, it was the conscious desire to shake things up at the start of this year that made the decision for me. My birthday falls two days after New Year - two occasions that naturally prompt a period of self-reflection. At 42, I realized I was in a rut and change was needed, including my approach to fitness.
